Research policy

NHMRC is the key driver of health and medical research in Australia. Aside from funding, we advise the Australian Government and facilitate networking in the research community by bringing academics and industry together. We build commercial literacy among researchers and help them protect intellectual property.

Ethical guidelines for organ transplantation from deceased donors

The Ethical guidelines for organ transplantation from deceased donors were developed by NHMRC following a joint request from the Organ and Tissue Authority and the Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Publication Data

The Ethical Guidelines provide an overarching framework to guide ethical practice and inform decision making by everyone involved in assessing the eligibility of an individual for transplantation, assessing the suitability of donor organs for transplantation and allocating organs from deceased donors. The Ethical Guidelines are also intended to inform the Clinical Guidelines for Organ Transplantation from Deceased Donors which are maintained by TSANZ

The Ethical Guidelines apply to the transplantation of solid organs and vascularised tissue composite allografts (such as the hand or face) from deceased donors. They do not apply to:

the process of organ donation

transplantation of organs from living donors

transplantation of human tissue

transplantation of gametes, ovarian or testicular tissue, or embryos for reproductive purposes.

Research policy

NHMRC is the key driver of health and medical research in Australia. Aside from funding, we advise the Australian Government and facilitate networking in the research community by bringing academics and industry together. We build commercial literacy among researchers and help them protect intellectual property.